Awareness of God

8/3/2019 Awareness of God

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1. AWARENESS OF GODI. One of the episodes of Glee best shows this value. When glee club co-captain Finn

Hudson believes he has found the face of Jesus in a grilled cheese sandwich, heasks for three prayers to be granted: for the school football team win a game, for hisgirlfriend Rachel Berry to let him get to second base with her, and for him to be

reinstated as quarterback. When his first prayer comes true, he asks the glee club tojoin him in honoring Jesus through song. Club member Kurt Hummel is devastatedwhen his father Burt suffers a heart attack. Kurt's best friend, Mercedes Jones, singsWhitney Houston's "I Look To You" to him, hoping he will find strength in faith;however, Kurt he is an atheist. Cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester, also an atheist,takes umbrage at the glee club singing religious songs and has Kurt make a formalcomplaint. When confronted by guidance counselor Emma Pillsbury, Sue admits thatas a child, she prayed that God would cure her sister Jean, who has Downsyndrome. Her prayers went unanswered, leading her to conclude that God does notexist. Mercedes, Rachel and Quinn pray for Burt, with Rachel singing "Papa, CanYou Hear Me?" from Yentl at his bedside. Kurt is resistant, and at glee club

rehearsal sings The Beatles' "I Want to Hold Your Hand", stating that his faith takesthe form of love for his father. He accepts an invitation from Mercedes to attend herchurch, where the choir sing "Bridge Over Troubled Water" and Mercedes asks thecongregation to pray for Burt. Finn's remaining prayers also come true, however hisreinstatement as quarterback occurs when his replacement Sam Evans is injuredduring a game, dislocating his shoulder. Finn feels responsible and confesses hisguilt to Emma, who tells him it is unlikely God is communicating with him through agrilled cheese sandwich. A despondent Finn doubts his new-found faith, singingR.E.M.'s "Losing My Religion". At Burt's bedside, Kurt tells his still unconsciousfather that while he is an atheist, he feels he should have accepted his friends'prayers. As Kurt cries, Burt begins to regain consciousness and is able to squeeze

his son's hand. Meanwhile, Sue visits Jean in her residential home and discussesGod with her sister. Jean asks Sue if she may pray for her, and Sue accepts. Later,the glee club come together to sing Joan Osborne's "One of Us". Sue watches theperformance, but tells Will she will not report him for allowing a religious song. Athome, Finn eats the remainder of the grilled cheese sandwich showing that hebelieves it wasn't the sandwich that was making his wishes come true.

II. A story Gods punishment? By Fr. Bel R. San Luis, SVD There's a story about awealthy man who got angry at God because of the enormous suffering of hungryand homeless people from a devastating typhoon.

How can you allow such misery? he cried out shaking a clenched fist upward.Whydont You do something to alleviate the sufferings of these people?

And somewhere deep within himself came Gods answer: Indeed Im doing something.I created you.

Indeed, God created us not only to take care of ourselves and families but also to reachout to the bigger family outside, especially the suffering.
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Someone once asked me, Are natural calamities Gods punishment?

The answer is no. Such physical evils befall even on the upright and God-fearing. Thestory of Job is a classic example.

Although an honest man who feared God and shunned evil, he lost his possessions,loved ones (sons and daughters) due to natural disasters, and even contractedsicknesses.

His wife who must have been a mulier fortis (a domineering woman) taunted him,saying: Do you still persist in your blamelessness?

Curse God and die.

Jobs irked response is: That is how foolish women talk, he said. If we take happinessfrom Gods hand, must wenot take sorrow too? And in all his misfortune Job uttered no

sinful word.

The story of Job teaches that a good, faithful life in this world is no guarantee that youwill be immune from trials and sufferings.

But the story teaches, too, that if one is faithful and patient amidst trials, he will berewarded just like Job whose destroyed properties were restored two-fold and hischildren returned to life.

Then, of course, theres the example of Jesus Christ. Though sinless and Godsbeloved Son, He suffered terribly. We can say that God permits evil so that some good

may come out of it, like a wake-up call, turning to God, awareness of and reaching outto our suffering brethren.

When everything is said and done, suffering is still a mystery. Why does a good, lovingGod punish someone He loves? When we meet Him in heaven, He may tell us theanswer.

But first, lets make sure we get there!

The lighter side. Lets Exchange Place. Once a distraught man was kneeling in front oflife-size crucifix, crying and reciting a long list of complaints.

The Lord gently spoke from the cross: All right, stop crying now. I know how you feel. Ifyou wish, Ill carry all your sufferings, but lets exchange places. Ill take your place andyou hang here on the cross, 24 hours a day!

The man sheepishly looked at the Lord and replied: Err Well You see, Lord, I wasjust kidding.


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Thanks anyway, Lord Bye.

APPEAL. Many of our kababayans have reached out magnanimously to the numerousvictims of the destructive typhoon Ondoy. God bless them.

From our side, our Mission Communications Foundation, Inc. (MCFI) has been doing itsshare helping the victims.

Were appealing for donations in cash or in kind like used clothes, bottled water, instantnoodle packs, canned goods, medicines (for fever, colds, diarrhea).

2. COMMUNITY LIVING

I. The novel Tuesdays with morie by Mitch Albom. Newspaper columnist MitchAlbom recounts time spent with his 79-year-old sociology professor, MorrieSchwartz, at Brandeis University, who was dying from Lou Gehrig's disease (ALS).

Albom, a former student of Schwartz, had not corresponded with him since attendinghis college classes 16 years earlier. The first three chapters incorporate anambiguous introduction to the final conversation between Albom and Schwartz, abrief flashback to Albom's graduation, and an account of the events Albomexperienced between graduation and the reunion with his professor.Albom is asuccessful sports columnist for the Detroit Free Press despite his childhood dreamof being a pianist. After seeing Schwartz on Nightline, Albom called Schwartz, whoremembered his former pupil despite the lapse of 16 years. Albom was prompted totravel from Michigan to Massachusetts to visit Schwartz.[1]A newspaper strike freesAlbom to commute weekly, on Tuesdays, to visit with Schwartz. The resulting bookis based on these meetings, supplemented with Schwartz's lectures and life

experiences and interspersed with flashbacks and allusions to contemporary events

II. The movie High School Musical. Troy and Gabriella meet at a New Year's Eveparty while both are at a ski lodge during winter break. Troy is the captain of EastHigh School's basketball team, and Gabriella is portrayed as shy and academic. Atthe party, the two are called upon to sing karaoke together (Start of SomethingNew). They seem to be attracted to each other, and exchange numbers beforeparting. After break, Troy sees Gabriella in his homeroom, and she explains that she

just moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico and transferred to East High over break.Troy shows Gabriella around the school, and they pause in front of the sign-up sheetfor the winter musical auditions. This alarms Drama Club president Sharpay Evans,who assumes that Gabriella is interested in auditioning. Wanting to eliminatecompetition, Sharpay investigates the new girl and arranges for the scholasticdecathlon captain, Taylor, to find out about Gabriella's past academic achievements.During basketball practice, Troy has trouble focusing because his thoughts are onGabriella and the idea that he might enjoy singing more (Get'cha Head In theGame). Gabriella and Troy both go to the musical auditions where Sharpay and hertwin brother Ryan perform (What I've Been Looking For) but both are too shy toaudition. When Gabriella finally summons the courage to step forward, Troy offers to
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sing with her, but Ms. Darbus tells them that they are too late. After Ms. Darbusapparently leaves, Kelsi, the composer of the musical, trips and drops her things.Troy and Gabriella rush to help her, and they sing together as Kelsi plays piano(What I've Been Looking For (Reprise)). Ms. Darbus overhears them and gives thema callback audition. When the callback list is posted, Sharpay is furious to learn that

she has competition for the lead in the musical, and the rest of the Wildcats areshocked that Troy and Gabriella have auditioned for a musical. Other studentsconfess their own secret passions and talents (Stick To The Status Quo), alarmingboth Taylor and Troy's friend Chad. Since Gabriella has agreed to join the scholasticdecathlon team, both Taylor and Chad want their teammates to focus on theirupcoming competitions rather than the musical. To help Troy and Gabriella return tonormal, Chad and the basketball team trick Troy into saying that Gabriella is notimportant while she watches through a wi-fi link that the scholastic decathlon teamhas set up. Gabriella is hurt (When There Was Me And You), she refuses to talk toTroy and decides not to audition for the musical. Chad and Taylor feel guilty forruining Troy and Gabriella's relationship, and decide to tell them the truth. After Chad

and the basketball team tell Troy what they did and offer to support him in callbacks,Troy goes to Gabriella's house and they make up. Intimidated after overhearingGabriella and Troy practicing, Sharpay convinces Ms. Darbus to change the callbacktime to coincide with both the basketball championship and the scholastic decathlon,so that Gabriella and Troy cannot participate. Kelsi overhears the conversation andthe basketball team and the decathlon team work together to come up with a plan.On the day of the competitions, Taylor and Gabriella use the schools computers tocause a series of mishaps that delay the big game and the decathlon. With bothcompetitions delayed, Troy and Gabriella rush to the auditorium, and Sharpay andRyan finish performing their song (Bop To The Top), confident that their planworked. Troy and Gabriella then audition (Breaking Free) and Ms. Darbus gives Troyand Gabriella the lead roles, making Sharpay and Ryan understudies. Troy andGabriella both win their respective competitions, and the film ends when the entireschool gathers in the gym to celebrate (We're All In This Together).

3. DIGNINTY OF WORK

I. The novel or autobiography of Helen Keller. This book/ novel portrays the wild childwho is locked in the darkness and silent prison of her own body. With extraordinaryimmediacy, keller reveals her frustrations and rage, and takes the reader on theunforgetable journey of her education and breakthroughs into the world ofcommunication. From the moment Keller recognizes the word water when herteacher finger-spells the letters, we share her triumph as that living word awakenedmy soul , gave it light, hope, joy, set it free! an uparelled chronicle of courage atimeless testament to an indomitable will.

II. Journey from porter to eatery owner

Mokokchung: He is dignity of labor personified. 28-old Wati Kichu of Mokokchungvillage has what it takes to become a successful person. He is the owner of a small fast-food joint, in the heart of Mokokchung town, that opens in the evening hours when allthe shops in the town close. He started running the business from November 2009, with
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an investment of Rs 10,000 earned through hours of hard labor and sweat as a porter.A glimpse into the life of this young enterprising man reveals a character that despite allodds he rose above the ordinary, and earned the respect of all citizens.

From a graduate to Porter

Speaking with The Morung Express, Wati Kichu disclosed that he came from a not sowell to do family. He started working as a Mutthia (local porter) in Mokokchung earningdaily wages from the year 1999 to 2002. With the amount earned by working as aporter, Wati Kichu went down to Dimapur to study his higher course. He did enroll inSalt Christian College and graduated in the year 2007. During his stay in Dimapur,Kichu worked as a part-time sales-man in a marketing company and did door-to-doorsales.It was during his stay in Dimapur that Kichu got the idea of a fast-food joint, afterwatching non-locals peddling food stuff on hand-driven carts. But he had no capital toinvest. So, after coming back to Mokokchung, he again worked as a porter till the year2008 and could save Rs 10,000. It was his entire capital investment. A friend helped

him construct the cart. Two close friends Amongla (a graduate) and Arron (a socialworker working in an NGO) came forward to help him run the fast-food joint. Itfinally opened to the public on November 9, 2009.

From Porter to successful eatery ownerThe best part: Mokokchung town usually closes by 4 pm, and the town goesdeserted after that. Not anymore. People, especially youngsters, stop by Kichus stall tohave a bite of egg-rolls, omelets or sandwiches, till 8 to 9 pm. I got the idea because Iwanted to make the town more lively in the evening, says enterprising Wati Kichu.He named his stall Rali-Wali (Rali means Coming and Wali means Going;metaphorically, a traveler); quite appropriate, because his stall has cycle wheels, whichmove Kichus trade easily from one point to another. But his main spot is in a cornernear the main police point in the town. On an average I get around 30-40 customersa night, sometimes it is higher, says Kichu. I have recovered my investment long timeback. His two friends have been supporting him right from the start, helping himprepare the food and cater to hungry customers. They (Among and Arron) give mecourageand moral support. I really appreciate their great help, Wati says of histwo helpful friends.

Never felt ashamed of what work I didSharing his inspiration, Kichu advises that one should have dignity of labor and shouldactually do things instead of depending on government jobs. The government alonecannot provide jobs, he reminded, to all educated unemployed youths, estimated tobe more than 50,000.

He had appeared for the NPSC exams in the past, with no success. He has nocomplaints. We should not feel ashamed to do hard work, we should have dignity oflabour, he asserts, The deepest satisfaction I have now is that, earlier I used to ask myparents for money to give offering to the church. Now I am giving the offering from myown pocket, from my own earning.


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For the Mokokchung public, the Rali-Wali fast food joint is another welcomedevelopment. Earlier, people simply used to stay at home or at friends, now they canroam around the stall relishing the food and enjoy the peaceful nightlife of the town.Wati Kichu asserts that there has not been a single incident of trouble so far. This, hesays, is not due to the security personnel in the town, but simply because the people of

Mokokchung have now become civilized and do not indulge in unnecessary fights.Sometimes, some people come to my stalls after drinking alcohol, but they have nevercreated any trouble. They just eat the food, pay for it and leave peacefully, he says.

Inspiring changeFazl Ali College lecturer Akok Walling, while speaking at a programme in Kohima toldthe Kohima Ao Gazetted Officers Telongjem, the words told to him by officials ofMokokchung district administration regarding the young entrepreneur. Even some ofthe district administration officials told me that his stall is the clearest sign to the otherpeople that Mokokchung is a peaceful place, Akok Walling told Kohima Ao officersrecently.

Even so, Wati Kichu has plans to expand his small business. A few days back, he hasextended his stall to provide more food items. People tell him to provide tea also. Heprovides tea during the winter season. Recently he has taken a loan and bought aMaruti Van; he plans to convert the van into a mobile restaurant in the town. Peopleout here believe that his venture will be a success, simply because of his sheerdetermination and hard work.Nonetheless, looking at the life of Wati Kichu one can come to a clear understanding

that while thousands of youths might complain about the lack of employmentopportunities or avenues in the Naga society, one prominent truth comes to light it isnot the lack of employment opportunities but simply lack of courage and enterprise, andmost importantly, dignity of labourprobably the biggest cause of unemployment inNagaland.

4. HOSPITALITY

I. The movie Blind Side. For most of his childhood, 17-year-old Michael Oher(Quinton Aaron) has been in foster care with different families throughout Memphis,Tennessee. Every time he is placed in a new home, he runs away. His friend'sfather, whose couch Mike had been sleeping on, asks Burt Cotton (Ray McKinnon),the coach of Wingate Christian school, to help enroll his son and Mike. Impressed byMike's size and athleticism, Cotton gets him admitted despite his abysmal academicrecord. At his new school, Michael is befriended by a boy named Sean Jr. "SJ" (JaeHead). SJ's mother Leigh Anne Tuohy (Sandra Bullock) is a strong-minded interiordesigner and the wife of wealthy businessman Sean Tuohy (Tim McGraw). After alate night Thanksgiving school play, Leigh Anne notices Michael walking on theroad, shivering in the cold; when she learns he intends to spend the night huddledoutside the school gym, she offers him a place to sleep at her house. The nextmorning, when she sees Michael leaving, she asks him to spend the holiday with herfamily. Slowly, Michael becomes a member of the Tuohy family, even as LeighAnne's rich friends wonder what she is doing. One even suggests that her teenagedaughter Collins (Lily Collins) is not safe around him, much to Leigh Anne's disgust.
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When Leigh Anne seeks to become Michael's legal guardian, she learns he wasseparated from his drug-addict mother when he was seven and that no one knowsher whereabouts. She is also told that even though he scored low in almost everycategory, he is in the 98th percentile in "protective instincts". After his gradesimprove, Michael is allowed to join the school football team. He has a shaky start

due to his polite and gentle nature, yet after some encouragement by Leigh Anne totap into his "protective instincts" and regard his teammates as he would members ofhis family, Michael dominates on the field. SJ sends out videos of the games tocollege coaches around the country. Leigh Anne discovers that to get a NCAADivision I scholarship, Michael needs a 2.5 GPA, so they hire a tutor, Miss Sue(Kathy Bates). Some of the teachers help out as well, and Michael ends up with aGPA of 2.52. When coaches come to recruit Michael, Leigh Anne makes it clear thatshe prefers the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) as both she and her husband arealumni. Miss Sue, another Ole Miss alumna, tells Michael (who dislikes horror films)that the FBI buries body parts under the University of Tennessee's Neyland Stadiumfor research; Leigh Anne particularly loathes that school. Michael commits to Ole

Miss. Subsequently, Michael and the Tuohys become the subject of an NCAAinvestigation. The investigator tells Michael that the Tuohys and Miss Sue arefervent Mississippi boosters, who are subject to special restrictions, and his highschool coach got a job at Ole Miss after Michael chose the school. Michael confrontsLeigh Anne, asking her if she only took him in so he would play football for her almamater. Michael then goes to his birth mother's apartment in the projects. His oldfriends welcome him, but their leader makes crude remarks about Leigh Anne andCollins. In the ensuing fight, Michael dispatches three thugs and then flees thescene. Leigh Anne searches for Michael. He finally calls her, and they meet. LeighAnne tells him she will support any decision he makes. Michael satisfies theinvestigator by explaining that he chose Ole Miss because his whole family has gonethere. Later, Leigh Ann and her family take Michael to the Ole Miss campus to begincollege. The film ends with an emotional goodbye between Leigh Anne and Michael.The closing credits show the 2009 NFL Draft with the real Michael Oher beingdrafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round. Photographs of Oher and the realTuohys follow, with Oher's success in the NFL detailed. The credits include adedication to director John Lee Hancock's father, a football player and coach whodied in 2009.

II. The Hospitality of The Pigeon

This Short Story The Hospitality of The Pigeon is quite interesting to all the people.Enjoy reading this story.

Once upon a time, there lived two pigeons. They were husband and wife. Theyspend their day looking for food. In the evening they would come and rest on theirfavorite tree in the forest.

One evening, the wife returned home early. A usual she was waiting for herhusband, when suddenly it started raining. She strated to worry. Where are you, mydear? You never get so late, she whispered to herself.
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Just then she saw a bird-catcher coming towards her. In a cage he had a pigeon. Itwas her husband. OH no, what shall I do now I wish I can help my husband, shesaid. She desperately tried to distract the bird-catcher by flapping her wings, but allin vain.

Soon, it stopped raining. Brrr! It is so cold, said the bird-catcher. His clothes werewet. He decided to sit under the same tree where the two pigeons lived.

The poor wife sat by her husbands cage. And she started to cry. The husband said.Do not feel sad, dear. We now have a guest. This man is shivering and hungry. Heneeds your help. Hearing this, the wife flew around getting dry twigs. She made afire for the bird-catcher. Then she looked at the bird-catcher and said, You are ourguest, since I have no food to offer, I will jump into this fire. In few minutes I willbecome an edible item for you. You can eat me.

By now, the bird-catcher was overwhelmed by the hospitality of the humble pigeoncouple. He at once stopped the wife jumping into the fire.

He opened the cage and set the husband free. I have been cruel and selfish. I willnever trap any bird in my net again, said the bird -catcher and went away. The twopigeons were happy to be reunited.

5. JUSTICE

I. Cruelty at the playground by Janna Bailey

The playground bubbled with laughter except for Brandon, who was teased because hewas overweight, Rene, who was teased because she wore glasses, and Shirley who

was teased because her family didnt have the money to buy her new clothes.

The school bell rang, indicating it was time to go back to class. While they were lined upto go back to the classroom Diane and Grace asked Rene to call Brandon fatso. No, Iwont; leave Brandon alone. Two little Love birds sitting. Rene turned roundand looked at Brandon who was close to tears. Thank you he said with a tone ofadmiration in his voice.

Shirley, Betsy sneered, where did you get your blouse, at the Salvation Army? Betsytore Shirleys blouse. Both girls were sent to the principals office. Betsys mom wascalled. Shirley was given a blouse from lost and found and sent back to class.

Grace grabbed Renes glasses threw them to the ground, shattering the lens anddenting the frame. Both girls were sent to the principals office, where their parents werecalled Renes mom brought her an old pair of glasses she could wear until she could getanother pair.

Betsys and Graces parents were angry.
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Betsys mom made her give Shirley two blouses and khaki pants she had been lookingforward to wearing. But, mom, Betsy complained, this isnt fair!

That is too bad, young lady. You should have thought about that before you toreShirleys blouse.

Graces mom was just as angry. The next day she made Grace give Renes mom $175she had saved to buy herself a mountain bike.

Mom, this isnt fair

Yes it is fair. What isnt fair is that Rene cannot see well enough to do her homework.Young lady, until her new glasses come in you are going to spend your playtime helpingher with her homework. I will be watching you like a hawk to make sure you behaveyourself.

That night Jesus visited Diane, Betsy, and Grace.

You can continue in your cruelty and others will follow your example. If you dosomebody near and dear to you can be teased in a similar manner. Or you choose toshow compassion and loving kindness; and others will follow your example. What isyour choice?

II. To kill a mockingbird by harper lee

The story takes place during three years of the Great Depression in the fictional "tiredold town" of Maycomb, Alabama. The narrator, six-year-old Scout Finch, lives with herolder brother Jem and their widowed father Atticus, a middle-aged lawyer. Jem andScout befriend a boy named Dill who visits Maycomb to stay with his aunt for thesummer. The three children are terrified of, and fascinated by, their neighbor, thereclusive "Boo" Radley. The adults of Maycomb are hesitant to talk about Boo and, formany years, few have seen him. The children feed each other's imagination with rumorsabout his appearance and reasons for remaining hidden, and they fantasize about howto get him out of his house. Following two summers of friendship with Dill, Scout andJem find that someone is leaving them small gifts in a tree outside the Radley place.Several times, the mysterious Boo makes gestures of affection to the children, but, totheir disappointment, never appears in person.

Atticus is appointed by the court to defend Tom Robinson, a black man who has beenaccused of raping a young white woman, Mayella Ewell. Although many of Maycomb's

citizens disapprove, Atticus agrees to defend Tom to the best of his ability. Otherchildren taunt Jem and Scout for Atticus' actions, calling him a "nigger-lover". Scout istempted to stand up for her father's honor by fighting, even though he has told her notto. For his part, Atticus faces a group of men intent on lynching Tom. This danger isaverted when Scout, Jem, and Dill shame the mob into dispersing by forcing them toview the situation from Atticus' and Tom's points of view.
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Because Atticus does not want them to be present at Tom Robinson's trial, Scout, Jem,and Dill watch in secret from the colored balcony. Atticus establishes that theaccusersMayella and her father, Bob Ewell, the town drunkare lying. It alsobecomes clear that the friendless Mayella was making sexual advances towards Tomand her father caught her in the act. Despite significant evidence of Tom's innocence,

the jury convicts him. Jem's faith in justice is badly shaken, as is Atticus', when ahopeless Tom is shot and killed while trying to escape from prison.

Humiliated by the trial, Bob Ewell vows revenge. He spits in Atticus' face on the street,tries to break into the presiding judge's house, and menaces Tom Robinson's widow.Finally, he attacks the defenseless Jem and Scout as they walk home from the schoolHalloween pageant. Jem's arm is broken in the struggle, but amid the confusion,someone comes to the children's rescue. The mysterious man carries Jem home, whereScout realizes that he is the reclusive Boo Radley.

Maycomb's sheriff arrives and discovers that Bob Ewell has been killed in the struggle.The sheriff argues with Atticus about the prudence and ethics of holding Jem or Boo

responsible. Atticus eventually accepts the sheriff's story that Ewell simply fell on hisown knife. Boo asks Scout to walk him home, and after she says goodbye to him at hisfront door, he disappears again. While standing on the Radley porch, Scout imagineslife from Boo's perspective and regrets that they never repaid him for the gifts he hadgiven them.

6. LISTENING

I. The Parable of Listening to God

In Matthew 13:1-9, Jesus tells a story of four different people listening to God:

3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: A sower went out to sow. 4 And

as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them.

5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately

they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6 but when the sun rose they were

scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among

thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and

produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears, let

him hear.

II. Listening

Once upon a time, a long, long time ago, far, far away, beyond the widest rivers, over

the tallest mountains and across the deepest sea, in the middle of the bluest water

where the sun always shined there was an exquisite island paradise. On that island,

lived the Owani people. The Owani were a tribe of gentle souls, who mostly knew
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happiness and were kind to each other and to themselves. Any link between us and the

Owani could only be the result of wishful thinking. But, there is a link and that is where

this story begins.

Onus parents worried about their son. The Owani children played together, smiled,

enjoyed each day and looked forward to tomorrow. But, their son was not like otherchildren. Onu was a loner, rarely spoke and smiled even less. He did not enjoy the sun

shining each day because he spent his life worrying about what went wrong yesterday

and what might go wrong tomorrow. Onu frightened his parents when he cut himself

playing on jagged rocks and when he climbed to the tops of the highest trees where the

other children would not go. Onus parents knew that their sons cuts and his risk of

falling from high places were intentional acts. Onu was not sure if he wanted to exist.

Onus parents loved their son and they tried every day to help Onu find his essence and

accept his beauty. They asked him in a thousand ways what was wrong? But, Onu gave

evasive answers or became angry when they dared to ask about his inner self. After all,he didnt know his inner self, so, what gave them the right to know! They told him what

they thought was wrong and tried to teach him ways to be a happy person. They told

him to play with other children and talk about his thoughts and feelings. They tried to get

him interested in fishing, finding a pet, taking hikes, eating better, going on family

outings. Onus parents also sometimes became angry and told him he wasnt trying

hard enough to make his life happy. But, all of their attempts to help their son failed.

Exhausted and frightened, and at their wits end, Onus parents went to Begend, a man

who many in the tribe sought when problems overwhelmed them. Onus parents sat on

the white sand beach and explained their sons unhappiness and their many efforts tohelp him. After the parents spoke Begend spoke.

I will tell you what Id like you to do for your son. But, before I tell you my thoughts you

must first agree that you will do what I request without knowing what I will request. At

first, the parents thought Begends request was too much to demand of them. What if

they agreed to do something that might cause Onu more pain. But, the parents were

desperate and they trusted that Begend saw great worth in all people. So, Onus

parents agreed to follow through with whatever Begend asked.

Begend began, When you are with your son only say three things. The three things yousay are:

What do you mean?

I dont understand.

Tell me more.


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You may say these three things as many times as you like and you may change the

order in which you say these three things. But, you must agree to say only these three

things to your son.Then Begend ended the meeting and told Onus parents to return

the next day when the sun was at the same place in the sky.

The next day, the parents returned to Begend who was sitting in the white sand. Theywere happy and confused. He spoke to us and told us much more than he ever has

about what he thinks and feels. He finally spoke a little about his inner struggle, said

the mother. He actually looked me in the eye and said something about his essence.

He said he doesnt know how to be satisfied. But, he wants to be satisfied. It is a good

start, said the father.

Then Onus mother spoke again.She said, We are confused. How is it that all of our

previous efforts to get our son to talk, to solve his problems, to get him to understand

our concerns, failed and by just saying three things over and over again Onu has begun

to unlock enough to share himself and let us walk with him through his turmoil? What isthe magic of these three things you had us say?

Begends Reply:

Most of us want to help when someone we love is in pain. We ask what is wrong,

express concern, give advice or become impatient with the persons lack of progress

toward resolving their problems. Your son cannot hear your offers to help. He cannot

hear your concerns or your advice. He cannot hear your valid impatient pleas. His ears

can only hear his inner voice that tells him what is wrong within him.

No wind is favorable if the captain does not know toward which port he is steering.

The three phrases you communicated to your son conveyed healing messages:

You communicated that you cherish listening to your son. By listening, you were able to

pass over all of his problems and weaknesses that he sees in himself. By listening you

ignored the possibilities of the inadequate person that he sees in himself and lay firm

hold on the possibilities for him to dig deeper for what is right in him and what is good

that he deserves. We can examine our weaknesses when we feel appreciated by the

people we most want to love us. When you listened to your son, you convey worthiness

to him despite his belief that he has no worth. The deepest principle of human nature isour craving to feel appreciated. An angel is anyone who lets another person know that

he has worth.

When you listened without giving advice, you conveyed the belief that your son has

ability to take responsibility for his problems and his happiness. Believing in your sons

ability to solve his own problems will help him recognize that he deserves happiness


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and that he is capable and responsible for his happiness. A person can only become

responsible when they are responseAble. The first step toward becoming

responseAble is to know that others believe in us to solve our problems and find our

happiness. You can help a person as they struggle to take responsibility for their

problems when you communicate to them that they are responseAble. Until the person

knows he is responseAble the help you give may not help.

Your son has not yet looked far enough into himself to find that he is in the process of

becoming and that he is capable of being more than a burden in this world. Your

relationship with your son is complicated and as with all parent child relationships, there

will be times of turbulence that demand many parenting tools. Perhaps the greatest of

these tools is to listen well.

7. MODERATION

I. Once upon a time there was a little glutton who only ate sweets and candy. One day,

in an antique shop he found an old magnifying glass. He liked it very much, and hisparents bought it for him. He was so happy with his magnifying glass! As soon as he

could, he used it to look at a little ant. It was great! The ant looked so big. But then a

strange thing happened. When he took the magnifying glass away, the ant stayed

the same size it had appeared through the glass.

Very surprised, the boy kept experimenting, and he found that anything he looked at

through the magnifying glass would get bigger, and stay that way.

Suddenly, he realised how he could best use this special ability, and he ran home.

At home he took all the candies and sweets, and he made them gigantic with his

magnifying glass. Then he completely stuffed himself with them, until he could eat

nothing more. However, the next morning he woke up totally swollen, a bit purple,

and with a huge bellyache. When the doctor came to see him, he said it was the

worst case of upset tummy he had ever seen. Night and day, the little glutton

suffered so much that for a long time he didn't want to hear mention of large

amounts of food. His parents were happy about this. Thanks to their son's latest

gluttony their pantry was full of the food he could not eat. What's more, he gave up

being a glutton who only ever ate sweets and candy. He wanted nothing to do with

them.

And so it was that the little glutton learned that even with the best things in life, if you

have too many of them, you will end up feeling ill. He decided to keep the magnifyingglass in a box until he found something that would really be worth making bigger.

II. here was once a lion without a roar. The lion had always been this way, he had

never been able to roar. But no one on the plains knew this. Since from an early age

he realised he could not roar, he had learnt to talk softly with everyone, and to listen

to them. He learned to convince others of his point of view without having to raise


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the volume levels. This won him the affection and trust of all the inhabitants of the

plain.

But one day the lion spoke to a pig who was so stupid and stubborn, that the lion

could not find a way to make the pig be sensible. He felt a strong urge to roar at the

pig, but the fact that he could not made the lion feel at some disadvantage. To try to

solve this problem, he spent a few months inventing a roaring machine which he

could use whenever he might need it. A short while after completing the roaring

machine, the stupid and stubborn pig turned up. He annoyed the lion so much that

the lion used the machine. It sent out a truly terrifying roar.

"GRRRRRRRRRROAUUUUUUUURRRR!!!"

Not only did this give the pig a terrible fright, it also shocked all the animals on the

plain. So much so that for months none of them dared to come out. The lion became

sad and lonely, and had plenty of time to realise that he didn't need to roar in order

get others to pay attention to him. Without knowing it, his lack of a roar had made

him good at talking to others and convincing them.So, little by little, using his kind and cordial tone of voice he managed to restore the

animals trust in him, and never again did he consider returning to roaring or

shouting.

8. PEACE

I. The War Between the Sandpipers and the Whales

One morning, a small Sandpiper walked down to the beach for her breakfast. With her

long, tiny legs she ran into the water to gobble up tiny fish.

earby bay lifted his big head out of the water and called out, "Hey, you, keep out of my

water! The sea belongs to the Whales!"

The Sandpiper said, "The sea belongs to the Sandpipers, too! And anyway, there's

more Sandpipers than Whales!" "Not so," said the Whale. "There are many more

Whales than Sandpipers."

So they both called their brothers, sisters, and cousins. Whale called out, "Brothers and

cousins from the north, south, west, and east; come to this island!" Whale's brothers

and cousins all came and the bay was so crowded with whales, you could have walked

across their backs without getting your feet wet.

Then Sandpiper called out, "Sisters and cousins from the north, south, west, and east,

come to this island!" Sandpiper's cousins all came and covered the entire beach and

filled all the trees.

It was hard to tell if there were more sandpipers than whales. So the Sandpiper and

Whale had an idea. Whale's idea was to eat all of the land up so that the birds would

drown. Sandpiper's idea was to drink up all of the sea so that the whales would die.


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The birds flew down to the ocean and drank up the water. They saw the whales slowly

dying without water, but they also saw the fish, crabs, and other sea creatures dying in

the hot sun, too. Then they realized that the crabs and other sea creatures were their

food. "If they die, we will die, too. This is not a good idea! We must spit back the ocean!"

The birds all spat back the ocean and the sea creatures began to live once again.

As the whales munched on the beach, they thought of something. "This is not a good

idea!" said the whales. "The beach is part of the ocean where we live. We are

destroying our own home. We must spit back the land!" So the whales spat back the

beach.

The Sandpiper and Whale both realized that war was not the best way to solve their

problem. There was plenty of ocean for them to share and war almost destroyed their

homes. So from that day on, they shared the sea and lived in harmony with one

another.

II. Peace Down the Street

I have a fairly new snow blower that is fun to use. Three years ago I began to also blow

our neighbor's drive on the east side of our house when I did mine. They were originally

from California and he had previous heart problems and both had bad knees. So it was

four more minutes.

Then two years ago Dave died two doors to the west. It only takes four or five minutes

to do his wife Marge's drive. This fall the neighbor across the street filed a protection

order for her safety from her still drinking violent alcoholic husband after 60 years of

marriage and 60 years of binge drinking. Now that he is not living there that drive only

takes another five.

Then there is Lee next door who leaves for work at 5:30 AM. What's another five

minutes? Well guess what? I slept in until 8:30 AM last Thursday. The ground was

white. But someone else had blown the two women's drives. And it couldn't have been

either of them.

I think PEACE is coming down our street one snow and two drives at a time.

9. RESPECT FOR PERSONS

I. An American Indian Legend - Nation Unknown

There once was a man, who was raising his young son. The mother had passed away

in childbirth and he was teaching his son all that he knew. This son, grew up and in time

wanted to go to a nearby village and find him a companion. Many months passed and


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the young man returned to his home, and with him he had a woman, his wife. They lived

in the home of his father.

Shortly after, They had a son. And the father, now a grandfather began teaching this

young boy all that he knew. How to respect the forest, the animals and life. The mother,

tiring of sharing her home with the old man told her husband that she wanted the oldman out.

The father spoke "I cannot, this is his home and he built it for us." She spoke "If you do

not make him leave then I will take our son and I will leave." The father agreed and

spoke to his son. "My son, tomorrow I want you to take Grandpa out and leave him.

Give him this blanket." The young boy cried. "Why do you do this? Grandpa has been

teaching me all that I know. Why do I have to do this to him?" The father spoke. "Son,

follow the wishes of your father." So the next morning, the father went hunting to the

North. The son took Grandpa as far as he could walk to the South.

That evening the young boy was sitting on the bed crying when his father came In. He

saw the blanket on the bed. "Son, I thought I told you to give Grandpa the blanket?" "I

gave Grandpa half of the blanket. The other half, I will give to you some day." The

mother and father understood the message. And they went and brought Grandpa back.

II. Sarah and Mark were a pair of champion gossips. They were always spying, and

poking their noses into anything and everything. And how they loved to broadcast

what they had discovered - which was a lot, and very little of it good. People had

often explained to them the importance of respecting others' privacy, but they would

just reply, "If they had nothing to hide then they wouldn't mind. We have nothing to

hide, so we couldn't care less."

Then, one day, a poor, bad-tempered wizard with very few powers, crossed their

path. Sarah and Mark managed to break one of the wizard's tricks, so the wizard

decided to get his revenge by using a strange spell which would give all the children

a good laugh, before he moved on. The next day, when Sarah and Mark were sitting

in class, the emergency speaker came on. It was the wizard's voice. He said,

"Ding dong dinnnng! Ding dong dinnnng! Attention! Sarah Jones thinks Robert is

very good-looking, and she'd like to be his girlfriend. Ding dong dinnnng!

How embarrassed Sarah felt! She hadn't told anyone how she felt about Robert, and

she turned as red as a ripe tomato. There was quite a commotion in class, and the

noise only subsided when the speaker came on again:


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"Attention! Right now, Mark Smith is thinking that Anthony Wilson is a fat and rather

foolish gorilla, and that if he - Smith - were a bit bigger, he'd give Wilson a seriously

good beating. Ding dong dinnnng!"

Mark dearly wanted to run out of the classroom to hide

And so it went. Throughout the day the speaker would come on and reveal the

innermost thoughts of our two little gossips. With every passing minute their trouble

and embarrassment were mounting. So much so, that eventually the two of them

went over to the speaker, crying with anger, and demanding that the voice stop

reporting their thoughts.

"If you have nothing to hide then it shouldn't bother you," answered the wizard.

"Of course we have nothing to hide!" they answered, "but those are private

thoughts!" And their complaints continued.

After a while the complaints petered out, and Sarah and Mark looked at each other.

They had finally realised that what the wizard was now doing was exactly what they

themselves had been doing all their lives. After they promised not to gossip any

more about other people's private lives, the wizard removed the spell and said

goodbye to them all.

And every child in that class long remembered that hilarious morning at school,where they were given a most effective lesson on the importance of respecting

others' privacy.

10. STABILITY

I. I yearn for peace of mind . I'm tired of being so unpredictable everyday ... not

knowing when my mood is going to switch or if im even going to want to get out of

bed in the morning . i'm on my way to financial stability .... I just feel if i had the time

to actually search myself i would be able to figure it all out .Maybe im just afraid to

actually start though ... im petrified of failure . Because i feel like ive failed so many

times in my life ... and i dont want to again ... so im not doing anything ... im dormant

. what a way to live .

II. As For Me Stability has not always Been An Easy "A" For me. Most of my Life has

been One Big *** Roller coaster Ride (so to speak). Things settled When I was nine


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until about twelve. Then I began Getting into lots of Trouble. Back to the Roller

Coaster. In Juvie at Thirteen, In Rehab at Fifteen, Then When my niece came into

my life. I had a Three sixty change. I calmed down to play mommy. But More

problems Lay ahead, Relationship wise. I married my Child hood sweetheart. Lost

him in 07 in Iraq, Then Mama (the only mama Truly known to me) Passed away.

That Changed my whole world. I began drinking, Cleaned up. Where the hell was

the stability. SO many things went wrong to damn Fast I was at a lost.

Now Just take Everything one day at a time. And Breath and don't rush anything.

Life is easier Just relaxing better... Letting things Gain it's own Ground. It seems to

work. And I seem to Be Gaining Stablility Everyday

11. STEWARDSHIP

I. Simon looked up from mending his nets to see a tall man touching his boat. It was

Jesus, whom hed first met down in Judea where Simon had been listening to John

the Baptists teaching. Jesus himself was a teacher these days, Simon had heard.

Jesus was fingering the joinery of Simons boat, admiring the handiwork. "Very smooth,"

he said.

"Benjamin the boatmaker finished it last fall," said Simon. "Last boat he made before he

died."

Jesus ran his hand over the planks along the side of the craft. "It looks tight," he said,

"Mortise and tenon joinery. Must have taken a long time to make."

"A long time is right!" Simon put down his nets. Talking was a lot more enjoyable thanmending. "Benjamin and his son took seven months. I thought theyd never finish. And

he charged me a pretty penny. But then, I probably have the best boat on the lake."

Simon got up and came over to the boat pulled up on the rocky beach. "You look like

you know something about wood."

"Im a carpenter like my father before me," Jesus said, extending his hand. "Good to see

you again. Mind if I look at the stern?"

Simon hesitated for a split second. It was a new boat, and he didn t want just anyone

clamoring all over it, especially someone not used to boats. But his pride got the better

of his anxiety. "Sure, just be careful not to trip over those ropes."

Jesus climbed into the boat and examined it carefully: rudder, oarlocks, sail mount.

"Benjamin built you an excellent boat," he said as he climbed out. "By the way, I ll be

teaching this evening along the beach. I was wondering if you could assist me getting

the crowd seated tonight. I need a helper, if you d be so kind."


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"Glad to help, Jesus." He liked to be needed, and he liked the fact that a carpenter had

pronounced his boat the masterpiece Simon knew it was.

That evening, after an attempt at crowd control, Simon sat enthralled. "The blind man

you see healed before you is evidence of God's power among you to heal your life, set

you free, and give you joy! The Kingdom of God is here," Jesus had preached. "Turnaround and get your life right with God!"

This wasnt the learned discourse of your average itinerate teacher, quoting from Rabbi

So-and-So to buttress his opinions. Jesus taught with a native authority, a boldness that

left the self-righteous Pharisees in the crowd speechless and brought the common

people to tears of shame and repentance. As the sun set and the people got up to

leave, Simon himself had been shaken. Here he was, a loud and profane fisherman.

Was he ready for Gods Kingdom and Messiah? He was a good fisherman, yes. But a

good man? Not really.

No time for reflection now. Capernaums fleet was getting ready to put out for another

night of fishing. Simon and his brother Andrew pushed the boat off the beach and gave

it a running start before jumping in themselves. They rowed out a few hundred feet and

cast the first of many nets. They would be busy all night casting, then hauling in, casting

and hauling in.

Just as dawn began to streak the sky with pink, Simon and Andrew threw out their final

net of the night, ready to head in, sell their catch, and get some sleep. It had been a

long night, but a better catch than most this week.

"Si-mon," a voice echoed across the water. "Si-mon."

Simon watched the net sink below the surface of the lake and then looked up. It was

Jesus. Jesus, whose words of the Kingdom of God had challenged and gnawed at him

all night as he had toiled.

"Si-mon." The call came a third time. Simon lifted his hand in recognition.

"Follow me!" The word was sharp, short, demanding. "Follow me, and I will make you

fishers of men."

Fishers of men? Catching men rather than fish? What could he mean? But Jesus wascalling. He was calling now!

The net was still in the water where Simon had thrown it, floats still bobbing, still there to

trap some unsuspecting fish. But the fish wouldnt find its way to a breakfast

table this morning, because both Simon and Andrew were over the side and swimming

to shore. Dripping, they dropped to their knees before Jesus.


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"Simon." Simon could feel the Teachers hand on his wet, tangled hair. "Simon, follow

me."

Simon looked up. "Yes, Lord, I ll follow. Where are you going."

"Youll see," said Jesus, pulling Simons arm gently as a sign for him to get up. "AndSimon, Ill need your boat."

His brand new boat, pride of the town fleet? What did Jesus want with the boat? Simon

looked up. "Sure, you can use it," he replied slowly, "... when we don t need it."

"But I need it," Jesus insisted. "You own the boat, dont you?"

"Of course, Lord, I own it outright. It took me three years to earn enough extra to pay for

it."

"And youve decided to follow me, havent you, Simon?"

"Yes, of course, Lord."

"Then your boat needs to follow me, too," replied Jesus. "Not just you, but everything

you are and own need to follow me, to be at my call when I need them."

Simon was ashamed. "Yes, Lord. Please take my fishing boat. Use it whenever you

need it.... I really want you to. Forgive my selfishness."

"You have a house, Simon?"

"Yes, Lord, I have a house."

"I need to use that, too."

"My house?"

"Yes, your house."

"Eh, Jesus. How can I say this? My mother-in-law lives with us and she isnt very well

right now. Im not sure we should disturb her, with her fever and all."

"Your boat and your house and you must follow me, Simon."

"Yes, Lord."

"And Ill care of your mother-in-law, youll see. Why dont you lead the way?"

"Yes, Lord," said Simon, and he and Jesus and Andrew walked up from the beach into

town as the sun peeped over the hills.


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II. Three parables on stewardship (to the disciples, the parable of the unjust steward;

to the Pharisees, the parable of the rich man and Lazarus; to the disciples, the

parable of the unprofitable servant)

Luk 16:1-17:10

1 And another time he said to the disciples, There was a certain man of great wealth

who had a servant; and it was said to him that this servant was wasting his goods.

2 And he sent for him and said, What is this which is said about you? give me an

account of all you have done, for you will no longer be the manager of my property.

3 And the servant said to himself, What am I to do now that my lord takes away my

position? I have not enough strength for working in the fields, and I would be shamed if I

made requests for money from people in the streets.

4 I have come to a decision what to do, so that when I am put out of my position theywill take me into their houses.

5 And sending for every one who was in debt to his lord he said to the first, What is the

amount of your debt to my lord?

6 And he said, A hundred measures of oil. And he said, Take your account straight

away and put down fifty.

7 Then he said to another, What is the amount of your debt? And he said, A hundred

measures of grain. And he said to him, Take your account and put down eighty.

8 And his lord was pleased with the false servant, because he had been wise; for the

sons of this world are wiser in relation to their generation than the sons of light.

9 And I say to you, Make friends for yourselves through the wealth of this life, so thatwhen it comes to an end, you may be taken into the eternal resting-places.

10 He who is true in a little, is true in much; he who is false in small things, is false in

great.

11 If, then, you have not been true in your use of the wealth of this life, who will give into

your care the true wealth?

12 And if you have not been true in your care of the property of other people, who will

give you that which is yours?

13 No man may be a servant to two masters: for he will have hate for the one and love

for the other; or he will keep to the one and have no respect for the other. You may not

be servants of God and of wealth.

14 And the Pharisees, who had a great love of money, hearing these things, were

making sport of him.

15 And he said, You take care to seem right in the eyes of men, but God sees your

hearts: and those things which are important in the opinion of men, are evil in the eyes

of God.

16 The law and the prophets were till John: but then came the preaching of the kingdom


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of God, and everyone makes his way into it by force.

17 But heaven and earth will come to an end before the smallest letter of the law may

be dropped out.

18 Everyone who puts away his wife and takes another, is a false husband: and he who

is married to a woman whose husband has put her away, is no true husband to her.

19 Now there was a certain man of great wealth, who was dressed in fair clothing of

purple and delicate linen, and was shining and glad every day.

20 And a certain poor man, named Lazarus, was stretched out at his door, full of

wounds,

21 Desiring the broken bits of food which came from the table of the man of wealth; and

even the dogs came and put their tongues on his wounds.

22 And in time the poor man came to his end, and angels took him to Abrahams breast.

And the man of wealth came to his end, and was put in the earth.

23 And in hell, being in great pain, lifting up his eyes he saw Abraham, far away, and

Lazarus on his breast.24 And he gave a cry and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus,

so that he may put the end of his finger in water and put it on my tongue, for I am cruelly

burning in this flame.

25 But Abraham said, Keep in mind, my son, that when you were living, you had your

good things, while Lazarus had evil things: but now, he is comforted and you are in

pain.

26 And in addition, there is a deep division fixed between us and you, so that those who

might go from here to you are not able to do so, and no one may come from you to us.

27 And he said, Father, it is my request that you will send him to my fathers house;

28 For I have five brothers; and let him give them an account of these things, so thatthey may not come to this place of pain.

29 But Abraham said, They have Moses and the prophets; let them give ear to what

they say.

30 And he said, No, father Abraham, but if someone went to them from the dead, their

hearts would be changed.

31 And he said to him, If they will not give attention to Moses and the prophets, they will

not be moved even if someone comes back from the dead.

17:1 And he said to his disciples, It is necessary for causes of trouble to come about,

but unhappy is he by whom they come.

2 It would be well for him if a great stone was put round his neck and he was dropped

into the sea, before he made trouble for any of these little ones.

3 Give attention to yourselves: if your brother does wrong, say a sharp word to him; and

if he has sorrow for his sin, let him have forgiveness.

4 And if he does you wrong seven times in a day, and seven times comes to you and

says, I have regret for what I have done; let him have forgiveness.


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5 And the twelve said to the Lord, Make our faith greater.

6 And the Lord said, If your faith was only as great as a grain of mustard seed, you

might say to this tree, Be rooted up and planted in the sea; and it would be done.

7 But which of you, having a servant who is ploughing or keeping sheep, will say to him,

when he comes in from the field, Come now and be seated and have a meal,

8 Will he not say, Get a meal for me, and make yourself ready and see to my needs till I

have had my food and drink; and after that you may have yours?

9 Does he give praise to the servant because he did what was ordered?

10 In the same way, when you have done all the things which are given you to do, say,

There is no profit in us, for we have only done what we were ordered to do.

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Awareness of God